Telepsychology: The Negative Influence Of Online Counseling

Some experts argue that telepsychology is an important advance in counseling that allows flexibility and a more personal approach. Robert Reese, a University of Kentucky department chair, believes that distance has no effect on the quality of counseling a client receives (259). Many clinicians are worried that counseling done online will influence the alliance between clinician and client. Specifically, many are worried about empathetic accuracy and therapeutic alliance, the bond a clinician and client have that makes a client feel heard (Reese 257). A study was conducted on 58 students at the University of Kentucky using telepsychology, which found that empathetic accuracy and therapeutic alliance was not influenced by counseling sessions

Published author and researcher for Monash University Nicholas Gamble, introduces the idea that online therapy can bring new ways to help clients (292). One way this is happening is through the use of emoji’s while communicating with clients. Many clients are nonverbal or struggle with verbal communication, Gamble claims that emoji’s are “added emotional depth to non-visual communication which is often an area of concern in text-based telepsychology” (295). Emoji use is a modern way to add technology in counseling sessions and could encourage other technology to be used in sessions such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and wearable technology. These technological advances are encouraging people with social phobias to receive counseling (Simpson 287). Susan Simpson, a researcher and professor at the University of South Australia, believes telepsychology is better for people with social phobias and found that males are more likely to participate over the phone rather than in person (296). Therefore, the online advancements telepsychology has made could bring new technology as forms of

One of the biggest concerns with telepsychology is creating boundaries and guidelines on what behavior is accepted during counseling. Telepsychology services are more flexible for both parties, so it is easier for interactions to become more casual. For example, if either the client or clinician do a video session in a public place, a boundary would be crossed (Drum 310). Likewise, if a client chooses to do a video session in their own home, some privacy would be lost. Katherine Drum explains that physical distance brings the illusion of “immunity” to boundary crossings (310). Although the flexibility of telepsychology is typically viewed as a positive, there are some negatives, such as job burnout. Because the clinician is always readily available to the client, the client can over rely on the clinician and the clinician could face job burnout (Drum 312). In addition to all of this, more research needs to be done regarding how race and cultural background influences telepsychology. Robert Reese concluded this in his research stating, “Future research needs to build upon this foundation and begin to address not just does telepsychology work, but how telepsychology works best to more effectively reach and meet the needs of underserved populations” (263). Given these points, the divide between psychologist and